Andretti-Cadillac project… Ben Sulayem does it again

How far will the fight of words between F1 and the FIA? Let's start by reconnecting with the latest events. On January 2, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem announced via Twitter the launch of a declaration of interest process for teams wishing to join the F1 grid.

I asked my @FIA team to look at launching an Expressions of Interest process for prospective new teams for the FIA @F1 World Championship

- Mohammed Ben Sulayem (@Ben_Sulayem) January 2, 2023

A tweet which initially fell somewhat like a hair in the soup, until two days later, Andretti, who failed to convince F1 and the teams already engaged for two years, struck hard by announcing a strategic partnership with Cadillac and the General Motors group with a view to entering Formula 1. 

On this occasion, Michael Andretti also clearly pledged allegiance to the FIA, a way of attempting to force the transition when F1, wishing not to get angry with the current teams, continues to make his life difficult by making the deaf ear and hiding behind a long-term process. 

A thinly veiled attack on F1

When the Andretti-Cadillac partnership was announced, F1 responded with a short press release mentioning in particular that the FIA ​​was far from being the only decision-maker and that a process, in which Andretti has been engaged for more than a year, existed and that we had to stick to it. All while criticizing the Andretti clan, which Liberty finds far too noisy in the media. 

Stefano Domenicali has said it again and again: in the event of interest in joining F1, Liberty Media prefers the purchase of a franchise already on the grid than the addition of an 11th structure, which would have the gift of cutting the cake revenue in 11 rather than 10, which the vast majority of teams are opposed to. 

In any case, the F1 press release, combined with Andretti's laudatory words towards Ben Sulayem and the FIA's desire to reassert its authority in the matter, clearly fueled the political fight being waged the International Federation and Liberty Media, the promoter played by Stefano Domenicali. 

This Sunday, proof of the gap growing a little more each week between the two institutions, the decidedly very modern Mohammed Ben Sulayem tweeted again, addressing between the lines to F1, which did not make the slightest echo on his Grand Site website regarding the announcement of the Andretti-Cadillac partnership, when it had made a publication to inform of the end of the project Porsche-Red Bull few months ago.

.@Cadillac @FollowAndretti @GM @FIA @F1 pic.twitter.com/ziVL91FCec

- Mohammed Ben Sulayem (@Ben_Sulayem) January 8, 2023

The FIA ​​President wrote: “It is surprising to see adverse reactions to the news of the Andretti-Cadillac partnership. The FIA ​​has in the recent past accepted entries from smaller, successful organizations. We should encourage the potential arrivals on the grid of global manufacturers like General Motors and successful teams like Andretti and others.”

Before adding: “Interest from teams from thriving markets adds diversity and strength to the value of F1”. Given the series of episodes that the story of a possible 11th team on the grid is becoming, we are now impatiently awaiting the response that Formula 1 and the teams will provide! 

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